«Can you explain what we’re doing out here in the middle of nowhere at this ti of night?! And more importantly... CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE HELL SHE’S DOING HERE WITH US?!» Chantal snaps, pointing her index finger nacingly at Elisabeth Azuralis.
It’s Friday night.
That afternoon, Hakuto asked Kagura to bring them all to the most remote and unwelcoming area of the Gran Sasso—the tallest peak of the Apennines—without explaining the reason.
He brushed them off with a simple: they say the starlit sky from here is breathtaking, and I wanted to see it before heading back to Arica.
They’re now standing in the middle of a vast valley, surrounded by towering rock walls.
It took nearly three hours to reach this place by car—and for Hakuto, it felt more like twelve.
The tense mood, driven by the friction between Elisabeth and the other girls, made the journey feel endless.
To change the subject—and to prepare everyone for what he intended to do—he revealed, with Elisabeth’s consent, her true identity.
She’s a human from N’Raeth, living here as a political refugee.
He also ntioned her borderline obsession with her hero, Shin Tendo.
Rika and Yuzu, sohow, softened imdiately.
After all, they also fled from N’Raeth to escape a brutal death.
But being demons, they weren’t granted the sa protected status as Elisabeth, and are forced to live in hiding under false identities.
Chantal, on the other hand, hasn’t ward up to her at all.
«The reason Elisabeth is here... well, let’s just say she begged to see the son of her beloved Shin Tendo in action. So, yeah...»
His gaze shifts to Chantal.
«If I rember correctly, you and I still have unfinished business. The fight we started almost a year ago, right after you transferred to Ashiya, and that my father interrupted. Since then, we never really fought again. What do you say we settle things now?» Hakuto asks, his tone firm and eager.
But Chantal—soone who usually jumps at any excuse to fight—doesn’t respond the way he expected.
«DO I LOOK LIKE A PERFORR TO YOU?! DO I LOOK LIKE A CLOWN?! DO YOU SEE A RED NOSE AND A COLORFUL WIG ON MY FACE?!» she explodes, her voice echoing through the valley. «I’m not about to fight just for the entertainnt of that thirsty brat!»
«Oh, don’t worry about that,» Elisabeth cuts in with a smirk full of trouble. «I couldn’t care less about watching so random girl fight. I’m only here to feast my eyes on the son of the legendary Shin Tendo.»
«Please... stop making things worse...» Hakuto whispers to her.
But it’s too late.
«You damn brat! I’m the firstborn of the Carreaux family and daughter of the director of HESPARC France, one of the eight most important divisions in the world!»
«Oh really? Impressive... mmh... Carreaux...? Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell. I don’t rember reading that na in my Earth History textbook,» Elisabeth replies in a flat, uninterested tone.
«Then I’ll make sure it gets burned into your mory with my fists!» Chantal snaps, clenching her fist.
«Oh nooooo... I’m shaaaking in fearrrrr...» Elisabeth mutters sarcastically, hugging herself.
«Please, stop provoking her. Otherwise we’ll be here till morning while you two argue...» Hakuto tries, in vain, to calm things down.
But it’s useless.
In fact, Elisabeth seems to be doing it on purpose—and it doesn’t take long for Chantal to completely lose her temper.
«Hakuto, give the green light to punch her and I swear I’ll fight you as long as you want after!» Chantal growls through gritted teeth.
«Chantal, don’t be ridiculous. She’s just a—»
«I doubt you’ll have any strength left to fight Hakuto after dealing with ,» Elisabeth interrupts him.
Hakuto stares at her, clearly baffled.
«Don’t be stupid! Your parents left you in the care of and Kagura, and you’re our responsibility! I can’t bring you ho tomorrow morning all banged up—or worse, call them to pick you up from the hospital!»
But for once, Chantal seems to agree with Elisabeth.
«Mind your own business, Hakuto! In two years I’ll finally be eligible to join HESPARC as an official mber. The last thing I need is to ruin my record by killing a political refugee!»
She starts stretching her arms and legs.
Hakuto has no choice but to step back, shaking his head in resignation.
«Just be careful, Chantal...» he warns.
«Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. In the anti, get ready—ten seconds and I’ll challenge you too!»
Elisabeth remains silent.
Her gaze fixed on Chantal.
She steps back slowly, one step at a ti, putting about twenty ters between them.
White Sacred Fla bursts from Chantal’s body.
It whirls intensely around her, illuminating the pitch-black night with dazzling firelight.
Only the moonlight had lit the valley until now.
Hakuto lets out a breath of relief.
~She’s not using the fla sword, or her vampire powers... so she’s actually holding back. At least she’s keeping her word~
Chantal bends her knees slightly.
Then she shoots toward Elisabeth, blazing forward like a flaming cot.
Elisabeth steps back, clasps her hands together, and...
«Elental Invocation • Earth: Rock Wall!»
Suddenly, a massive wall of rock rises between her and Chantal, forcing her to stop her charge at the last mont.
«An elental mage of Earth, huh? Interesting...» Chantal sneers. «But kind of weak, since you need to chant your spells out loud to even use them. Still, this might be more fun than I thought...»
Chantal leaps upward, vaulting over the stone wall, when...
«Elental Invocation • Wind: Whirlwind!»
A violent gust bursts from Elisabeth’s palm, catching Chantal off guard.
She barely dodges it, using the rocky wall as a foothold to launch herself out of range.
«An elental mage who can wield two different elents...? Incredible...» Chantal comnts, clearly impressed.
Hakuto is just as surprised.
~She’s right... From what I know, most elental mages can control only one elent. Only the truly skilled ones can manage two!~
But Chantal doesn’t hesitate.
Using the montum from her leap, she positions herself about ten ters above Elisabeth’s head.
In her clenched fist, the white fla sword begins to form.
Hakuto shakes his head in frustration.
~So much for going easy on her...~
Then, Chantal drops down toward her opponent, her sword ready to strike...
...but Elisabeth reacts just in ti.
«Elental Invocation • Water: Protective Bubble!»
A large sphere of water, about two ters in diater, forms instantly around her body.
The blazing sword crashes against the liquid barrier.
It doesn’t stop the blow entirely, but slows it down enough for Elisabeth to escape.
She uses a gust of wind, directed at herself, to launch her body away—asured and precise, avoiding self-harm.
Chantal is left frozen in place, and even Hakuto widens his eyes.
~Earth, Water, Wind... Chris Kendrow can only command Water and Wind thanks to his Divine Dragon Crystal—he combines them to form Ice. But this girl can use three? How is that even possible...?~
Once distance is reestablished, Elisabeth stretches out her arms toward Chantal.
«Elental Invocation • Fire: Fla Burst!»
Twin jets of fire erupt from her palms like flathrowers, hitting Chantal head-on.
Chantal is forced to unleash even more of her Sacred Fla to counter the blaze.
The fire dances wildly around her body, but she withstands it.
A nervous yet excited grin forms on Chantal’s face.
«An elental mage who can control all four basic elents... that’s an absurdly rare gift.»
«You’re surprised over sothing so small?You haven’t even seen what I’m really capable of!» Elisabeth replies with a satisfied tone.
«Yeah, I get the feeling the surprises aren’t over yet. You know... it’s been months since I had this much fun,» Chantal murmurs.
A thrill sparks across her lips as her Sacred Fla and flaming sword fade away.
Her blue eyes glow with a deep blood-red hue.
«That’s why, from now... I’m getting serious!»
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